Background: AMERICA TOLD HER NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY ALLIES THREE TIMES TODAY (FRIDAY) THAT THEIR CONVENTIONAL FORCES ARE SERIOUSLY UNDER STRENGTH. A WARNING - AND CALL FOR MORE ARMED MEN - CAME FROM SECRETARY OF STATE DEAN RUSK, DEFENCE SECRETARY ROBERT S. MCNAMARA, AND THE RETIRING SUPREME COMMANDER ALLIED POWERS IN EUROPE, GENERAL LAURIS NORTSTAD.

EARLIER, GENERAL NORSTAD SAID THAT THE PRESENT STRENGTH OF CONVENTIONAL FORCES IN EUROPE WAS SO WEAK THAT A MODEST ATTACK COULD ONLY BE MET WITH DIFFICULTY WITHOUT THE USE OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS. MR MCNAMARA WAS QUOTED AS SAYING THAT THE EUROPEAN NATO FORCES WERE STILL SIX DIVISIONS SHORT OF THE "MINIMUM" OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENT IN THE CENTRAL SECTOR. ONLY 400,000 AMERICAN TROOPS IN EUROPE AND THE CANADIAN NATO BRIGADE WERE "COMBAT-READY".

MR THORNYCROFT PROPOSED THE FORMATION OF A SMALL WORKING PARTY TO REVIEW NATO FORCE REQUIREMENTS. HE SAID THAT IN HIS VIEW IT WAS UNREALISTIC TO BASE EUROPEAN DEFENCE ON A REQUIREMENT FOR FORCES CALCULATED UPON A PURELY MILITARY APPRECIATION. HE SUGGESTED THAT IT WOULD BE MORE PRACTICAL TO DETERMINE HOW MANY TROOPS EACH COUNTRY COULD PROVIDE AND THEN MAKE A DEFENSIVE PLAN BASED UPON THE TOTAL.

THE NATO COUNCIL MEETING WHICH HAS BEEN PRESIDED OVER BY LORD HOME, ENDS TOMORROW MORNING (SATURDAY). THE NEXT MEETING WILL BE HELD IN OTTAWA NEXT SPRING.